Police hold off on ruling in Michael Scott's death

Gunpowder residue, money clip discovered in river point to suicide

When Michael Scott was found dead from a gunshot wound in the Chicago River early Monday, one question in particular troubled detectives: Why was there no wallet with the body?

Police later learned the Chicago school board president instead carried a money clip, but it was still missing, leaving open the possibility that Scott had been robbed and had not killed himself.

Divers went back to the river three times before they found the money clip about noon Wednesday while searching by hand in the zero-visibility water. Still inside were Scott's identification, credit card and cash.

The find -- combined with the discovery that Scott owned the gun found under his body and that tests showed he had gun residue on his left hand from firing a weapon -- have firmed up what police believe happened to Scott, 60.

Still, department officials stopped short Wednesday of calling his death a suicide, saying there were still key pieces of evidence to review.

Police Superintendent Jody Weis said robbery has been ruled out, but he is still awaiting ballistics tests to determine if the recovered gun was the weapon that killed Scott. Police also must review videotape that might show whether Scott was alone in the hours before his death, he said.

"We want to see whether there is any indication someone might have been with him," Weis said. "... I don't want to make any judgment at this time until we have all the facts. We want to be thorough. We want to be complete. And we will follow the evidence."

Scott's body was discovered at 3:15 a.m. Monday in about a foot of water along a river bank behind the Apparel Center at the Kinzie Street Bridge that spans the river's North Branch.

The Cook County medical examiner's office concluded in an autopsy Monday that Scott killed himself. Nancy Lynne Jones, chief medical examiner, said a gun was fired as it was pressed directly against Scott's head, which is consistent with a suicide. She also said there were no defensive marks to indicate a struggle took place.

Jones held a rare press conference Tuesday to defend the ruling after Weis said a day earlier that his department was holding off on calling the death a suicide. She also said police violated state law by moving the body without her office's permission.

It was an unusual clash between two public offices that typically work together. Mayor Richard Daley entered the fray Wednesday by defending police and ridiculing the press-shy Jones for seeking publicity.

"Enough with the medical examiner, let's stop this," Daley said. "Fifteen minutes of fame -- they gave it to you. The Chicago Police Department has a responsibility to check everything. I'm sorry. They don't rush to conclusions. They cannot do that. You have to look at everything."

A spokesman for the medical examiner's office said Jones would not respond to Daley's criticism.

But Weis noted Wednesday that the two offices approach investigations differently.

"I don't have any complaints or conflict with the medical examiner's call on this matter," he said. "It's like comparing apples to oranges. We handle investigative modes, and she is dealing heavily with forensics."

Police officials, however, did say that removal of bodies from crime scenes isn't unusual and in this case helped preserve evidence because the body was submerged in water.

What remains unclear is why Scott, also a real estate developer and key member of Daley's Olympic bid committee, shot himself on a ledge above the river. He was remembered as upbeat and cheerful by friends and loved ones.

Many, in fact, questioned whether he killed himself at all and challenged the medical examiner's conclusion.

"We are not going to rest until we find out what happened to him," said community activist Harold Davis.

Davis was joined at the Starlight Missionary Baptist Church on the West Side by Chicago ministers and others activists who called for a state or federal investigation into Scott's death.

Weis said Scott was last seen visiting his sister at an assisted-living facility about 4:15 p.m. Sunday, correcting earlier reports that he was last seen at 6:30 p.m.

Weis also said that Scott's distinctive Cadillac was spotted by three witnesses between 4:50 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. parked in a lot near where his body was later found.

According to preliminary phone records, Scott's last call was made at 3:46 p.m.

Weis said police believe Scott drove directly from visiting his sister to the location of his death.

When he didn't return home late Sunday evening, his family called police to report him missing. An aggressive investigation was launched immediately because of how unusual it was for Scott to be out of touch with his family and because of his high public profile.

Detectives have interviewed people who spoke with Scott on the phone on Sunday, Weis said, but the conversations were "regular, routine phone calls."

Weis said Scott bought the .380-caliber gun in 1981, the year before the handgun ban went into effect. But he had not registered the weapon, making it illegal, Weis said.

Scott was under public scrutiny on several fronts. He was subpoenaed as part of a federal investigation into admissions practices at the selective enrollment high schools. In the spring and summer, the Tribune published articles raising questions about his role with the Olympic committee and real estate dealings he was involved in near the proposed site for the games.

The latest criticism came Wednesday when the Tribune published an article detailing how Scott had used a Chicago Public Schools credit card to travel to Copenhagen with the Olympic bid committee.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Daley said when asked Wednesday about the Tribune report.